Gracie Barra Learning: Advanced Shoulder Locks

Gracie Barra Professors teaching some advanced shoulder locks.

When you think about submissions that attack the shoulder, you might think or the Kimura lock or the Americana. Both are very versatile submissions, but there are more that you may not be familiar with.

Creative jiu-jitsu minds have developed multiple different attacks on the shoulder joint. The shoulder joint has a great range of motion, but sacrifices some stability (compared to the knee or the elbow joints).

1) Standing omoplata counter to single leg takedown Prof Carlos Liberi is one of Gracie Barra’s most experienced instructors and he shows and advanced way to counter attack a wrestler’s single leg takedown.

2) Kimura from Side Mount Triangle control Prof. Marcos Perez from GB Brisas, Panama demonstrates a double attack where you control the opponent with a triangle and then attack his free arm with Kimura. This might be my favorite Kimura!

3) Baratoplata setup Prof. Raphael “Barata” Freitas developed this move that is now named after him. The lock at first looks like a biceps crush but actually affects the shoulder joint. You can attack this “Baratoplata” from many different positions – both top and bottom.

5) Reverse shoulder lock This might be called a “monoplata” and is a sort of reverse omoplata. Professor Nao Takigawa from Gracie Barra Japan shows how to get into this position by attacking the turtle.